Camellia plant named ‘HB051’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Camellia plant named ‘HB051’, characterized by its sturdy upright to outwardly branching plant habit; vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate; freely branching habit, dense and bushy appearance; large leathery dark green-colored leaves; long flowering period; light red purple-colored semi-double to peony-type form flowers; and good garden performance including tolerance to full sunlight conditions.

Botanical designation: Camellia hybrid.

Cultivar denomination: ‘HB051’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Camellia plant, botanically known as Camellia hybrid, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘HB051’.

The new Camellia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Zhaoqing, China. The objective of the breeding program is to create new fast-growing Camellia plants that flower year-round and tolerate full sunlight.

The new Camellia plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventors in February, 2007 in Zhaoqing, China of an unnamed seedling selection of Camellia amplexicaulis, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Camellia hybrid ‘Scented Swirl’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Camellia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Zhaoqing, China in November, 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Camellia plant by grafting cuttings onto an unnamed selection of Camellia gaozhouensis, not patented, in a controlled greenhouse environment in Zhaoqing, China has shown that the unique features of this new Camellia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Camellia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘HB051’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘HB051’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Camellia:

-   -   1. Sturdy upright to somewhat outwardly branching plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit and rapid growth rate.     -   3. Freely branching habit, dense and bushy appearance.     -   4. Large leathery dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Long flowering period.     -   6. Light red purple-colored semi-double to peony-type form         flowers.     -   7. Good garden performance, tolerant to full sunlight         conditions.

Plants of the new Camellia differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Camellia are slightly smaller         than and not as glossy as leaves of plants of the female parent         selection.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Camellia are semi-double to         peony-type in form whereas flowers of the female parent         selection are single in form.

Plants of the new Camellia differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘Scented Swirl’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Camellia are larger than leaves         of plants of ‘Scented Swirl’.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Camellia are semi-double to         peony-type in form whereas flowers of ‘Scented Swirl’ are single         in form.     -   3. Plants of the new Camellia flower for a longer period of time         than plants of ‘Scented Swirl’.

Plants of the new Camellia can be compared to the plants of Camellia hybrid ‘Golden Purple Crown’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons plants of the new Camellia differ from plants of the ‘Golden Purple Crown’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Camellia are larger than leaves         of plants of ‘Golden Purple Crown’.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Camellia are semi-double to         peony-type in form whereas flowers of ‘Golden Purple Crown’ are         peony-type in form.     -   3. Plants of the new Camellia flower for a longer period of time         than plants of ‘Golden Purple Crown’.

Plants of the new Camellia can be compared to the plants of Camellia japonica ‘Covina’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons plants of the new Camellia differ from plants of the ‘Covina’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Camellia are larger than leaves         of plants of ‘Covina’.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Camellia are semi-double to         peony-type in form whereas flowers of ‘Covina’ are semi-double         to rose-double in form.     -   3. Plants of the new Camellia flower for a longer period of time         than plants of ‘Covina’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Camellia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Camellia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘HB051’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet are close-up views of the upper and lower surfaces of a typical leaf, a typical terminal vegetative branch, a typical terminal branch with developing flower buds, a typical developing flower bud and a typical terminal branch with a fully open flower of ‘HB051’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Zhaoqing, China in ground beds in an outdoor nursery during the autumn and under cultural practices typical of commercial Camellia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 18° C. to 33° C. and night temperatures ranged from 11° C. to 26° C. Plants were six years old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Camellia hybrid ‘HB051’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed seedling selection of             Camellia amplexicaulis, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Camellia hybrid ‘Scented Swirl’,             not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By grafting cuttings onto a rootstock, an unnamed             selection of Camellia gaozhouensis, not patented.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             months at temperatures about 28° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             months at temperatures about 8° C. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial evergreen shrub;             sturdy upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit; rapid             growth rate.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; about two primary             lateral branches each with about two to three secondary             branches; dense and bushy appearance.         -   Plant height.—About 213 cm.         -   Plant diameter, area of spread.—About 151 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 112 cm. Diameter:             About 1.2 cm. Internode length: About 2.1 cm. Strength:             Strong. Aspect: Upright to about 25° to 35° from vertical.             Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy; woody with             development. Color, young stems: Close to 144A. Color, older             stems: Close to N199C.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Length:             Large, about 10.1 cm. Width: About 3.9 cm. Shape: Oblong.             Apex: Cuspidate. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Serrate. Venation             pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Texture and luster, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous; leathery; moderately glossy.             Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous;             leathery; matte. Color: Developing leaves, upper and lower             surfaces: Close to 179C. Fully expanded leaves, upper             surface: Close to 139A; venation, close to 144A; color does             not change during the autumn. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 146B; venation, close to N144A; color does             not change during the autumn.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture             and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             leathery; matte. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to             144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and appearance.—Semi-double to peony-type             rotate flowers, flowers terminal and axillary; freely             flowering habit with usually about 874 flowers and flower             buds developing per plant; flowers face mostly outwardly.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Camellia flower             year-round in Zhaoqing, China.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Plants maintain good flower             substance for about three to four days on the plant; flowers             persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower diameter.—About 10.3 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 5.2 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 1.8 cm.             Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             leathery; matte. Color: Close to 146A.         -   Petals and petaloids.—Quantity and arrangement: About 28 to             30 imbricate petals and petaloids arranged in numerous             whorls. Length: About 4.5 cm to 4.8 cm. Width: About 2.4 cm             to 2.6 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Retuse. Base: Cuneate.             Margin: Entire; slightly to moderately undulate. Texture and             luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; silky;             matte. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface:             Close to between 65B and 68A; venation, close to between 65C             and 68B; color becoming closer to 68A with development. When             opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to between             65B and 68A; venation, close to between 65C and 68B; color             becoming closer to 68A with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: About four imbricate             sepals arranged in an ovate-shaped calyx. Length: About             9 mm. Width: About 1.6 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Obtuse. Base:             Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; leathery; matte. Color:             When opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 137A.             When opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to             N144A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Aspect:             About 20° to 30° from stem axis. Strength: Strong. Texture             and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Close to N137C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower:             About 84. Filament length: About 2.6 cm. Filament color:             Close to 49B. Anther shape: Narrowly oblong. Anther size:             About 1 mm by 1.4 mm. Anther color: Close to 8A. Pollen             amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 8A. Gynoecium:             Quantity of pistils per flower: About five to six. Pistil             length: About 2.2 cm. Style length: About 1.8 cm. Style             color: Close to 2D. Stigma diameter: About 3 mm. Stigma             color: Close to 2D. Ovary color: Close to 10A.         -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed production have not been             observed on plants of the new Camellia to date. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Camellia have been observed     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind, full     sunlight and temperatures ranging from about 3° C. to about 32° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Camellia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Camellia     plants to date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Camellia plant named ‘HB051’ as illustrated and described. 